2021 NFL Draft: Pat Freiermuth Player Profile

Pat Freiermuth 2021 NFL Draft Profile

Wide receivers and running backs often get the spotlight. However, outside of Kyle Pitts, Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth is a lone exception. The former Nittany Lion is a threat when his team gets into the red zone, and more often than not, he catches the ball for a score. It’s safe to say he loves making the plays. Now that he’s heading to the NFL, it’s more likely that teams will not use him in blocking schemes as he has mostly been effective catching passes due to his height and strength. However, that won’t stop him from having to put his hand in the dirt and hold his own on the line of scrimmage.

Hailing from Merrimac, Massachusetts, Freiermuth arrived in Happy Valley and made an immediate impact. He earned  Freshman All-American honors in his first year with the Nittany Lions and put up eight touchdowns. In 2019, he scored seven touchdowns and was among the nation’s best tight ends. However, this past season, he only scored one touchdown due to injury. Nevertheless, he had produced enough tape from his time at Penn State to show that he was more than capable of being able to handle the rigors of the NFL.

• Excellent catch radius;
• Uses strength to advantage;
• Aggressive for the ball;
• Large wingspan;
• Finishes blocks with ease;
• Great leadership.

• Trouble avoiding defenders that get physical;
• Not enough quickness to split out at receiver;
• Inconsistent footwork;
• Shoulder injury raises questions of vertical;
• Needs to improve on consistent separation.

Bottom Line on Pat Freiermuth

Pat Friermuth is a player who can expect to hear his name called either near the tail end of the first round or the very beginning of the second round. He has a knack for going after the ball and using his hands to his advantage. Teams will likely use him in passing situations, although it essentially quantifies being an every-down player in today’s league. Additionally, his size, as previously mentioned, makes him a prime red-zone target for quarterbacks. Also, he has the ability to move the chains if he gets the ball in his hands. Further, his agility helps him avoid pass rushers cutting off his path to get open.

However, he will need to tune his skills as a blocker as teams, while pass-heavy in the modern game, do require tight ends to put their helmets down and come off the line eventually. Also, a shoulder injury does leave cause to pause. However, purely based on tape and resume, it’s easy to say that Freiermuth is deserving of being one of the top tight ends in the class and will likely make an impact from day one provided, of course, he heads to the right team that utilizes his skillset.

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